Can You Filler Me In? 10/09/2007

How do all, how are tricks?

Reight then, this weeks blog melpomene was a old school friend of mine back in the green hills of Sheffield who raised the point of album ‘fillers’. He asked me if I ever thought there was an album that contained absolutely no fillers what so ever and in doing this, he succeeded in racking my tiny brains for several hours.

And I came to this conclusion.

No.

I genuinely can’t think of an album that’s ever been made that, in my humble opinion, there isn’t at least 1 track on there that is at best only ‘good’ and not ‘blinding’. Here are a few of my favourite albums in all their filler glory (and hold back the sniggers please) =

Seahorses –Do It Yourself. This was the soundtrack to my 12th year of being on this earth. A fantastic album which I rediscovered recently and enjoyed every second of… until ‘Standing On Your Head’ came on.

The Killers – Hot Fuss. The soundtrack to my university years that brings back so many strong memories that even now when I hear Mr Brightside it moves me somewhat powerfully (usually depending on my current state of inebriation), but still, what the fuck is ‘Everything Will be Alright’ about?

Maximo Park – A Certain Trigger. I could sing this album in my sleep apart from the bizarre ‘Acrobat’.

Muse – All of their albums. Each one has its own red herring stuck on there: Showbiz = ‘Hate This and I’ll Love You’. Origin of Symmetry = ‘Screenager’. Absolution = ‘Rule by Secrecy’. Black Holes and Revelati.. ‘Hoodoo’.

Foo Fighters – Colour and the Shape = The Foo’s finest work still contains the not so rememberable ‘Enough Space’.

And then you move onto classic albums such as The Beatles – Sgt Peppers. An absolute timeless album which is proved by the fact it’s constantly winning the ‘best album ever’ award in a whole melange of music press, but can you really say that ‘Within You, Without You’ is unbelievably good?

I could list off albums such as Pet Sounds, Joshua Tree, Highway 61 Revisited, Velvet Underground etc, Albums that are constantly praised for their origionality and their brilliance, but surely everyone of them albums contains at least one ‘OK’ track?

As I type suggestions are flying in from around the office; “Led Zeppelin III”, “Rage Against The Machine”, “Stone Roses” and to my co-workers those said albums may be perfect to them, but I don’t think I ever want an album to be perfect.

Once you’re reached perfection surely the only way then is down? I like the fact that all my favourite albums have flaws in them; in their imperfection therein lays my perfection. All the best things in life have flaws; good food = fattening, good booze = hangovers.

And all this is coming from someone who likes to believe that he is inherently optimistic! I do see the best in most things, but I don’t think that saying that all the best things in life have imperfections is a negative attitude to have. If anything its romantic.

I’ll keep kidding myself by saying that anyway.

The door is now officially open to debate and I want you to give your 10 pence worth in this week readers. I’m not asking for bone marrow, just a sentence on whether you agree with me or not…

What I’m listening to this week: Kings Of Leon and Bone Box

What I’m reading this week: Anything slagging off Britney’s performance at the MTV Video Music awards. Priceless.